Powdered Sugar Donuts
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Indulge your sweet tooth with these delightful old fashioned Powdered Sugar Donuts! Made with love and simplicity, these heavenly treats are a breeze to whip up in your own kitchen. Not only do they satisfy your cravings, but they also offer a lighter option—baked to perfection instead of fried!

Imagine sinking your teeth into each soft, pillowy bite, dusted generously with a sweet layer of powdered sugar that melts in your mouth. What’s even better? Each delectable donut is under 200 calories, making it a guilt-free way to enjoy a classic favorite.
To whip up a batch of delightful Powdered Sugar Donuts, you’ll need a donut pan, and if you don’t have one yet, I highly recommend the Wilton Medium Donut Pan. It’s the ideal choice for this recipe, yielding 24 perfectly-sized, golden donuts that are sure to impress!
This pan is non-stick, making cleanup a breeze, but for the best results, don’t forget to give it a light coating of oil or butter. I always turn to my homemade cake release for this task. It’s a fantastic way to ensure the donuts release from the pan.
Why This Recipe Works
- We use the muffin method for mixing these donuts! It works perfectly for a light, fluffy texture.
- Using oil instead of butter in the batter leaves you with the softest donuts you’ve ever had.
- Buttermilk works with the oil to create a moist texture.
Ingredients
For the ingredient measurements and the entire recipe, be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the blog post where the recipe card is located.
- Dry ingredients: Flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg make up the dry ingredients.
- Buttermilk: Look for full-fat buttermilk and make sure it is brought to room temperature before using.
- Eggs: These should be at room temperature.
- Oil: Use a flavorless oil like vegetable or canola oil.
- Powdered sugar

Step by Step Directions
For the full recipe instructions, scroll down to the bottom of the blog post to the recipe card.
- Whisk the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Whisk the wet ingredients in a large liquid measuring cup.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Use a piping bag to fill the cavities of the donut pan with the batter, filling only ⅔ full.
- Bake until set and just golden on the tops.
- Cool slightly then coat the donuts in powdered sugar while still warm.




Tips For Success
Indulging in baked donuts is a delightful experience, and my old fashioned Powdered Sugar Donuts truly embody that blissful treat! These heavenly morsels are soft, fluffy, and generously dusted with a velvety layer of powdered sugar that melts in your mouth, creating a sweet cloud of deliciousness with every bite.
- Choose Quality Ingredients: Start with the freshest eggs, real vanilla extract, and high-quality flour. These little details make all the difference in flavor!
- Don’t Overmix: When combining your ingredients, be gentle! Overmixing can lead to dense donuts. Stir just until the ingredients are combined for that light and airy texture.
- Use a Donut Pan: A non-stick donut pan is your best friend for shaping those beautiful rings. It ensures even baking and easy release!
- Perfect Temperature: Preheat your oven thoroughly. A well-heated oven is key to creating that lovely rise and gentle golden color that’s visually irresistible.
- Experiment with Flavor: While old-fashioned is classic, don’t hesitate to add a hint of cinnamon for a warm, cozy twist to your batter!
- Cool and Dust: Let your donuts cool slightly before giving them a generous sprinkle of powdered sugar. It clings just perfectly to the warm surface—pure bliss!

More Donut Recipes
- Old-Fashioned Baked Donuts
- Strawberry Donuts with Lemon Glaze
- Baked Chocolate Donuts with Peanut Butter Frosting
- Baked Strawberry Donuts
Powdered Sugar Donuts

Ingredients
- 2 cups (260 g) all purpose flour
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup (180 ml) full fat buttermilk, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (90 g) confectioners' sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Grease a medium 12-cavity donut pan with nonstick spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
- In a 4-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk the buttermilk, eggs, oil, and vanilla together until combined.
- Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and gently fold with a silicone spatula until just combined.
- Add the batter to a large piping bag and pipe the batter into the cavities filling about ⅔ full.
- Bake for about 7-9 minutes, or until the donuts are just golden brown on top.
- Cool in the donut pan for about 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool slightly.
- Dip warm donuts in powdered sugar.
Notes
- Choose Quality Ingredients: Start with the freshest eggs, real vanilla extract, and high-quality flour. These little details make all the difference in flavor!
- Don’t Overmix: When combining your ingredients, be gentle! Overmixing can lead to dense donuts. Stir just until the ingredients are combined for that light and airy texture.
- Use a Donut Pan: A non-stick donut pan is your best friend for shaping those beautiful rings. It ensures even baking and easy release!
- Perfect Temperature: Preheat your oven thoroughly. A well-heated oven is key to creating that lovely rise and gentle golden color that’s visually irresistible.
- Experiment with Flavor: While old-fashioned is classic, don’t hesitate to add a hint of cinnamon for a warm, cozy twist to your batter!
- Cool and Dust: Let your donuts cool slightly before giving them a generous sprinkle of powdered sugar. It clings just perfectly to the warm surface—pure bliss!
Nutrition
The nutrition information provided is for convenience and as a courtesy only. It is not guaranteed to be accurate because nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator and input the exact ingredients and brands you used in the recipe.